Sainik School Admission 2026: Dates (OUT), Age, Eligibility, Fees, Admission Process, & Documents Required

NTA has released online the Sainik School admission application form on October 10, 2025. The last date to apply is October 30, 2025, up to 5 PM, and the last date of successful fee payment is October 31, 2025, up to 11:50 PM. Sainik School application form correction will be done from November 2-4, 2025.

Students must apply online through the official portal, exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society/. AISSEE 2026 aspirants first need to register on the NTA Sainik School Society portal to generate their unique application number, and then login using the same along with a password to fill out the Sainik School online form. 

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Also Read: Sainik School Admission Criteria

Important Dates for Sainik School Admission 2026-27

Candidates can check below all the important dates for the upcoming AISSEE 2026 events for admission to Sainik Schools and New Sainik Schools:

Sainik School Admission Process

To get admission in Sainik Schools, students must first qualify for the AISSEE 2026 exam. Those who pass will take part in Sainik School E-Counselling, where admission is given based on the merit list ranks and seat availability. 

Candidates must follow the eligibility rules, pass a medical fitness test, and complete document verification. To apply, students first need to register online, fill out the application form, and upload the required documents within the given timeline.

Steps for Sainik School Registration

Registration notification for Sainik School admission has been released on October 10, 2025, after 7 PM. Candidates can now register on the official NTA Sainik School Society's portal from October 10-30, 2025. Meanwhile, candidates can check out the steps mentioned below to register for the AISSEE exam on the official website:

• Access the official homepage, exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society/.
• Scroll below and click on "Registration for AISSEE-2026 Examination" on the homepage.
• Use a unique email address and mobile number to register.
• Once registration is successful, you will receive your application number at the registered email ID.
• Now, use your login credentials, i.e. your application number and password, along with a security PIN to login and fill out the online application form. 

The last date of Sainik School form is October 30, 2025. 

How to fill Sainik School online admission application form?

The online application process for Sainik Schools has started from October 10, 2025, and will continue till October 30, 2025. Once your registration is done, you can move to the stepwise application form-filling process as mentioned below:

• Access the official NTA Sainik School Society's portal as mentioned above. 
• Scroll to the bottom of the homepage and you will find an option that says “Registration for AISSEE-2026 Examination”. Click on it.
• You will be redirected to a homepage, where you will be required to click on the third option of "Already Registered Candidates", then enter your application number and password along with a security pin. Check image below for reference:

• Once done, click on the login button.
• Now, fill out the online application form with all the personal and academic details, and note down the system-generated application number. At this stage, candidates must also fill out the choices of schools and exam cities. 
• Upload all the required documents in a prescribed format.
• Pay the category-wise exam fee, i.e. Rs 850/- for General/OBC(NCL)/Defence/Ex-servicemen, and Rs 700/- for SC/ST candidates. Payment can be done using SBI Bank Payment Gateway through Credit Card, Debit Card, UPI or Net Banking. 
• Take a printout of the generated confirmation page to keep it as proof of the fee paid.
• In case the confirmation page is not generated the the paid fee will be refunded to the candidate’s source of payment. 

Sainik School Admission Process For Girls

Girls can also apply for admission to Sainik Schools and New Sainik Schools. They are eligible for Class VI and for Class IX; only 0-5 girls from the general category get seats in various traditional Sainik Schools, as per 2026 admission trends. The eligibility rules and age limits are the same as for boys, and girls must also clear the AISSEE exam. Since policies may differ, candidates should check each school’s official website.

Documents Required for Sainik School Admission

Candidates, during the AISSEE 2026 online application form filling, must upload the list of documents required for Sainik School mentioned below, which will be verified during the final admission stages:

• A clear scanned photo of the candidate in JPG format. The file size should be between 10 KB and 200 KB.
• A scanned signature of the candidate in JPG format. The file size should be between 10 KB and 50 KB.
• A scanned left-hand thumb impression in JPG format. The file size should be between 10 KB and 50 KB. If the left thumb is not available, use the right thumb.
• Scanned copy of the Date of Birth Certificate issued by a valid authority.
• Scanned Domicile Certificate.
• Scanned Caste/Community/Category Certificate, if applicable
• Certificate of Service if the candidate belongs to the Defence category and a PPO for Ex-servicemen, if needed.
• Certificate from the Principal saying that the candidate is studying at an approved New Sainik School, if applicable.
• All certificates should be uploaded as PDF files with file sizes between 50 KB and 300 KB.

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Sainik School Eligibility Criteria

It’s important to know if a candidate is eligible or not before registering and applying for the Sainik School admission process. Candidates can check below the important eligibility criteria, like age limit, etc., that they must fulfill to become eligible for admission to Sainik Schools.

Eligibility Criteria for Class 6  

• Students must be between 10 and 12 years old as of March 31, 2026.

OR

• Candidate's date of birth should be between April 1, 2014, and March 31, 2016.
• They should have passed Class 5 at a recognised school at the time of application. 
• Both boys and girls can apply for the Sainik School Class 6 admission.

Eligibility Criteria for Class 9

• The age criteria for Sainik School admission for Class 9 states that age should be between 13 and 15 years as of March 31, 2026, meaning birth dates should fall between April 1, 2011, and March 31, 2013.
• Students must have passed Class 8 from a recognised school.
• Both boys and girls can apply to Sainik Schools; however, seat availability for girls is much less as compared to boys and is subject to vacancies.
• Girls can apply to 19 new approved Sainik Schools with same age criteria as for traditional Sainik Schools, under 40% route or 60% route. 
• Seat availability in traditional Sainik Schools for girls must be checked in the information bulletin 2026-27. 

Also Read: 

Sainik School Fees 2026-27

Sainik School AISSEE 2026 application fee is Rs 850/- for General, OBC (NCL), Defence, and Ex-Servicemen categories, and Rs 700/- for SC/ ST candidates, for the academic year 2026-27. Once the candidate's name is present in the final merit list, parents must provide their original documents for verification, and also pay the school-wise annual fee (different for each Sainik School). The total annual Sainik School fees structure (from academic year 2025-26) for few of the schools are given below:

Here’s a detailed breakdown of Sainik School Amethi fee structure for the academic year 2025-26. This will give parents an idea of the probable fees for the academic year 2026-27.

Here’s the image of the above table for easy viewing and a quick overview:

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Can Ezyschooling Help With Sainik School Admission?

Ezyschooling helps simplify admissions to top boarding schools and academies that prepare students for Sainik School entrance (Class 6 & 9) and the NDA exam. Many parents have common questions like what are the best Sainik Schools, how to prepare, and the admission process after e-counselling. 

To guide parents and students, Ezyschooling provides a list of 7 reputed institutes, including Good Day Defence School (Rajasthan) and Syna International School (Katni), which are already approved as New Sainik Schools under the PPP scheme. Parents can admit their child to Class 5 or 8 (after clearing Classes 4 or 7 from a recognised board). 

• Jhunjhunu Academy (get admitted to Shoorveer Defence Academy batches for NDA and AISSEE preparation)
• Career Defence School, Patiala
• Career Defence School, Ambala
• Career Defence School, Yamuna Nagar
• Good Day Defence School, Hanumangarh
• Syna International School, Katni
• GRD World School, Dehradun

Just click on any of the links above to get complete information such as fees, admission process, and deadlines. If parents or students still feel confused about something, there’s also an option for direct enquiry support as shown below:

 

Sainik School Entrance Exam

Students must qualify Sainik School Entrance Exam for admission to classes 6 and 9, and seats are allotted through e-counselling based on the merit list and cutoff. The entrance exam date has not yet been announced. Usually, the exam is held in January, but for 2025-26, it was delayed to April 5, 2025. Results are normally declared within 6 weeks of the exam, so if the Sainik School exam is held in January, results may be released in March 2026.

Sainik School Entrance Exam Syllabus

The AISSEE (All India Sainik Schools Entrance Examination) checks what students know in subjects like Mathematics, General Knowledge, Intelligence, and Language for Class 6. For Class 9, it checks Mathematics, Intelligence, English, General Science, and Social Science.

Sainik School Syllabus for Class 6

For the Class 6 Sainik School Entrance Exam Syllabus, students solve math problems (fractions, decimals, geometry, ratios), answer GK questions (symbols, science, history, sports, current affairs), attempt puzzles (patterns, analogies), and practice language skills (grammar, comprehension, vocabulary). Students can check below AISSEE Class 6 important topics from the syllabus:

Mathematics

• LCM and HCF
• Fractions
• Decimals
• Area and Perimeter
• Ratio
• Unitary Method
• Basic Geometry, etc.

General Knowledge

• National Symbols
• Simple Science
• History
• Sports
• Current Events, etc.

Intelligence Test

• Analogies
• Patterns
• Classification

Language (English/Hindi/Regional)

• Grammar
• Reading Comprehension
• Vocabulary, etc.

Sainik School Class 9 Syllabus

For Class 9, the Mathematics syllabus covers topics like algebra, geometry, data handling, and probability. General Science and Social Science include topics already taught in middle school, like fossil fuels, cell structure and function, force, friction, pressure, revolt of 1857, etc. The English syllabus covers comprehension passages, subject-verb agreement, antonyms, etc. Candidates can check crucial topics below in the Sainik School Class 9 syllabus

Mathematics

• Algebra
• Geometry
• Data Handling
• Probability, etc.

General Science & Social Science

• Fossil Fuel
• Stars and Solar Systems
• Cell Structure and Function
• Pollution of Air and Water
• Force, Friction and Pressure
• Revolt of 1857
• Importance of Parliament
• Types of Agriculture
• Important Freedom Movements
• Types of Government and Different Tiers of Government, etc.

English

• Spotting Errors
• Comprehension Passage
• Confusing Words
• Antonyms
• Subject-Verb Agreement, etc.

Intelligence

• Analogies (mathematical & verbal)
• Pattern (spatial and mathematical)
• Classification
• Visual Reasoning
• Logical Reasoning

Sainik School Exam Mode

The Sainik School entrance exam is a pen-and-paper exam which is conducted via offline mode. Candidates are required to fill out the OMR sheet for each response, for both classes VI and IX. Class 6 includes a total of 4 subjects, and Class 9 includes a total of 5 subjects.

Sainik School Exam Pattern

Sainik School exam paper for class 6 contains 4 subjects: Language, Mathematics, Intelligence, and General Knowledge. There are 50 questions in Mathematics, and the remaining 3 subjects carry 25 marks weightage, each. For class 9, there are a total of 5 subjects: Mathematics, Intelligence, English, General Science, and Social Science. Here also, Mathematics carry 25 marks, and the other subjects carry 25 marks each. 

The Sainik School Exam Pattern for both classes is explained below through a table: 

Sainik School Exam Pattern Class 6

Here’s the complete exam pattern for the Class 6 AISSEE exam:

Sainik School Exam Pattern Class 9

Here’s the full exam pattern for the Class 9 AISSEE exam:

NOTE: Candidates must know that there’s no negative marking in the AISSEE exam for both classes 6 and 9. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to attempt all the questions from each section. 

 

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Sainik School Admit Card Release Date

The AISSEE 2026 admit card will likely be available in the 1st or 2nd week of January 2026, about 8–10 days before the exam, on NTA Sainik Schools Scoiety portal. Candidates must login with their application number and date of birth to download it, as no admit cards are sent by post. Students should carefully check the exam centre, location, and timing mentioned. 

It is mandatory to carry the Sainik School admit card on exam day. In case of admit card download issues or errors, candidates can contact the NTA helpline at 011-40759000 or 011-69227700 or email aissee@nta.ac.in.

Sainik School Answer Key Release Date

The NTA usually releases the provisional Sainik School Answer Key for Classes 6 and 9 about 27–30 days after the Sainik School entrance exam. Candidates can view their answer key and, if they find mistakes, challenge it within 2–3 days by paying a non-refundable fee of Rs 200/- per question. 

All objections are reviewed by subject experts, and if valid, corrections are made in the final answer key. Students are not told directly whether their challenge is accepted, but the final corrected key is used to prepare the AISSEE 2026 result.

Sainik School Passing Marks

To qualify for Sainik School admission in 2026, students from the General, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), and Defence/Ex-servicemen categories must score at least 25% in each subject and 40% overall in AISSEE 2026. However, SC and ST candidates do not need to meet the minimum Sainik School Cutoff marks. 

Their admission will depend on their exam rank within their category, provided they meet eligibility rules, pass the medical fitness test, and submit valid documents. For approved New Sainik Schools, the rule is the same for all categories: candidates must score 25% in each subject and 40% overall to qualify.
 

Competition Level for Sainik School Admission

Sainik School Admission competition level is increasing each year, with a higher number of students appearing for the exam each year, with the qualification rate hovering around the 60-70% range. Check below the year-wise number of appeared students for the Sainik School entrance exam:

Here’s the data of students who qualified for the AISSEE exam in 2022 and 2023. Data for 2024 and 2025 is not yet available on any of the trusted news media outlets or other authoritative websites. 

With the above data, it can be figured out that the qualification rate for 2022 and 2023 was 62.1% and 69.2%, respectively. This is just the data for the AISSEE entrance exam; there are marks for the medical test as well, which, when combined, lower the success rate for admission to Sainik Schools to a greater degree. Therefore, a strong grasp of the entrance exam syllabus, along with good physical and mental status to clear the medical test, is important for Sainik School admission. 

 

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Sainik School E-Counselling

Sainik School admission counselling will tentatively start in March 2026 only after the declaration of AISSEE results. Candidates who qualify in the entrance test will be required to re-register on the link, pesa.ncog.gov.in/sainikschoolecounselling, for the e-counselling. The e-counselling will be done as per the merit list, considering the seat availability and reservation criteria. 

The approved New Sainik Schools in the Sainik School Stream do not follow the category reservation criteria for admission. The only exception is Kranthiveera Sangolli Rayanna Sainik School in Belagavi.
 

Sainik School Medical Exam

Students who qualify in the Sainik School merit list must undergo a mandatory medical examination by civil or military doctors to check if they are fit for admission. Doctors examine overall health, including the heart, lungs, bones, posture, and mental alertness, along with height, weight, and chest expansion (for boys). Sainik School Medical Test will begin in March 2026 for selected candidates in the e-counselling rounds. 

Tests may include blood, urine, or a chest X-ray. Students also undergo eye, ENT, and dental checkups, and checks for conditions like knock knees, spine issues, hernia, or chest problems. Sainik School Medical Test date is different for each school. Candidates are notified about the medical test date and venue through a call letter or e-counselling portal.

Sainik School Merit List

The AISSEE 2026 Merit List will be released in March 2026 by the NTA, mentioning qualified candidates for admission to Class 6 and Class 9. The merit list is prepared school-wise, class-wise, gender-wise, and category-wise, and is available in PDF format on the official AISSEE portal. 

The merit list includes roll number, application number, candidate’s name, category, domicile, total marks, result status, and All-India rank. Candidates who have their names in the cutoff list proceed to e-counselling, followed by medical examination for final admission confirmation.

Sainik School Seat Reservation

Sainik Schools reserve 67% seats from the state or Union Territory where the school is situated (Home State/ UT). The remaining 33% of seats are open to students from other states and UTs (Other State quota). Within Home State/ UT and Other State quota, the Sainik School Reservation rules are as follows:

• 15% seats for SC candidates.
• 7.5% seats for ST candidates.
• 27% seats for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates.
• Together, the above 3 categories cover 49.5% of the seats. 
• From the rest, 25% seats are reserved for children of serving/ ex-servicemen.
• In the Other State Quota, no state/UT can take more than 25% seats in any category.
• For girls, schools reserve 10% seats in Class VI (or at least 10 seats).
• Each category (SC, ST, OBC, Defence, General) has 1 separate seat reserved for girls.

Sainik School Interview

Not all, but a handful of schools do conduct interviews for Sainik School admissions for students who have successfully passed the AISSEE exam, along with the medical test. The interview is done to check each student’s motivation, personality, leadership skills, and quality of communication. The Sainik School interview dates are different for each school. Some of the known schools that conduct the interviews are: Sainik School Nagrota, Sainik School Tilaiya, and Sainik School Rewa.

Sainik School Admission 2026 Important Links

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FAQs 

1. How to apply for Sainik School in 2026?

To apply, candidates need to first register themselves for the AISSEE 2026 exam on the official site, exams.nta.ac.in/AISSEE/. After registration, they can fill out the online form with their personal, parental and academic information, along with choosing preferences for exam centres and Sainik Schools, then pay the exam fee of Rs 800/- for General/OBC(NCL)/Defence/Ex-servicemen, and Rs 650/- for SC/ST candidates. 

2. How many Sainik Schools are there in India?

As per the latest data, there are 33 traditional Sainik Schools currently operating in India, and as of 2025, there are 41 confirmed approved new Sainik Schools established under the Ministry of Defence’s expansion initiative, bringing the total to 74 schools. 

Recently, the Government of India has decided to set up 100 new Sainik Schools. The Sainik Schools Society under the Ministry of Defence will run these schools in partnership with states, NGOs, and private partners on an affiliation basis.

3. What are some of the best private Sainik Schools in India?

Some of the well-known private or PPP-based Sainik Schools in India are as follows:

• N H Goel World School (Raipur)
• Royal International Residential School, Fatehabad
• Sangolli Rayanna Sainik School (Belagavi)
• Saraswati Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School (Mandsaur)
• Sree Sarada Vidyalaya (Ernakulam)

4. How many Sainik Schools are in Andhra Pradesh?

Currently, there are two government-run Sainik Schools in the state of Andhra Pradesh, namely:

• Sainik School Korukonda, Vizianagaram district
• Sainik School Kalikiri, Chittoor district

Apart from the above, the Ministry of Defence approved a new Sainik School called Adani World School, which is located in the Nellore district. This school is part of the "new Sainik Schools" initiative.

5. What’s the age limit for admission to Class 6 Sainik School?

Students should be between the age group of 10 and 12 years as of March 31, 2026, OR they should be born between April 1, 2014, and March 31, 2016, to apply for Sainik School Class 6.